Earlier this week, the Tampa Bay Lightning introduced the new look they’ll roll with during the 2011-12 season. The redesign removed the black and silver colors for a very simple blue-and-white scheme, with the overall design drawing more than a few comparisons to GM Steve Yzerman’s former team, the Detroit Red Wings.
Personally, I think the new duds are solid if unspectacular. I keep vacillating between calling them solid and bland, but that’s better than some of the lousy designs introduced by NHL teams during the last two decades. The team said it wanted an “iconic” or classic design and the simplicity of the logo and jerseys seem to meet those objectives.
Naturally, though, it only seemed right to ask PHT readers to react to the new look. The poll is pretty simple, as readers made a choice between three options: one choice for those who prefer the new look, one for those who like the old duds better and one for people who think they should start over again altogether.
Here are the poll results. (If you want to fill out a (much) more detailed survey that breaks down the new look in almost every way imaginable, Raw Charge has you covered.)
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As you can see, about 42 percent of our readers prefer the new look versus 36 percent who liked the old ones more. Then again, almost 22 percent think that the Lightning should start over again.
Ultimately this indicates that the audience is mixed on the new look, but it seems like even those who prefer the old style would agree that the new design isn’t a Buffaslug-level embarrassment.
It’s not too late to express your thoughts on the team’s re-branding. Is it an improvement, a step back or simply a lateral move? Let us know in the comments.
Oh, and as always, thanks for voting.